


Hustling the Hustler

by pajama_cats



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types, Pocket Monsters: Sun & Moon | Pokemon Sun & Moon Versions, ポケモンマスターズ | Pokemon Masters
Genre: Fluff and Humor, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-25
Updated: 2021-02-25
Packaged: 2021-03-16 19:21:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,014
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29705355
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pajama_cats/pseuds/pajama_cats
Summary: It's rare when Grimsley manages to lose a card game, becoming so agonized the moment he loses, but to Nanu's it's more amusing to watch the high and mighty Elite Four be reduced to the equivalent of a pouting brat.
Relationships: Giima | Grimsley/Kuchinashi | Nanu, Leo | Wes/Tsuwabuki Daigo | Steven Stone
Comments: 5
Kudos: 15





	Hustling the Hustler

**Author's Note:**

  * For [tiso_and_squodward](https://archiveofourown.org/users/tiso_and_squodward/gifts).



> A gift for my shortcake wife over an idea we talked about last night and I really loved it so I thought I’d write it down, plus writing in Nanu’s pov was pretty fun! kudos/credit to amour <3 Thanks for reading!

“Royal flush, now pay up.”    
  
A ten, jack, queen, king and ace all laid on the small table in the Pokemon Center, the sandy blonde guy, Wes, known for being Orre’s hero, leaned back against his chair and looked at Grimsley with cool amber eyes. Nanu had to keep himself from laughing, unable to hide the snicker he let out from his side of the table and pointedly ignored the look Grimsley shot him.    
  
For a professional gambler to be bested by a guy who came out of nowhere,  _ how rich.  _ _   
_ _   
_ “A loss is a loss,” Grimsley sighs, trying to play it off as nonchalant but Nanu sees the way his eye twitches, his stack of money being slid across the table and back to Wes. What a shame, he thought his poker face was better than that. Nanu can’t really count how long they’ve been at it, knowing Grimsley was sweating under the collar from probably one of the most intense card games he had to play. “We should do this again sometime.”    
  
“Yeah, sure,” There’s disinterest in Wes’s tone, not necessarily as greedy as Grimsley is as he pockets the cash and fixes Grimsley with a leveled look. His posture is casual as he stands, unlike the facade Grimsley remains to keep up in the presence of the other trainer. “Just don’t go conning my boyfriend again.”    
  
“I wouldn’t really call it conning persay..” Grimsley trails off, eyes averting by the weary look he gets in response. In other words he wasn’t buying his bullshit and Nanu more than understood how that felt. “Just a harmless game between an Elite Four member and a champion.”    
  
“Right,” Wes deadpans, a silent exchange between him and Nanu; the kahuna nodding to the entrance, knowing he’d now have to put in the effort to whoever Grimsley chooses to play against.  _ How tiresome.. Why can’t I ever be able to take it easy?  _ “Catch you around, kahuna.”    
  
Grimsley waits exactly a whole thirty seconds before he’s sprawled back against his chair, a hand running through his hair and his teeth grit in frustration. When it came to battling Grimsley was somewhat of a graceful loser, but gambling? An absolute sore loser.    
  
“So, I guess ‘a loss is a loss’ was meant to be more heavy?” Nanu grins at the hand slowly trailing down Grimsley’s frustrated face, wanting nothing more to keep pushing his buttons.  _ Serves him right.  _ “You shouldn’t have hustled Steven out of his money.”   
  
It was never meant to be a harmless game, Hoenn’s champion taking Grimsley’s eye the moment he walked into the Pokemon Center. The poor soul never saw it coming, a ‘casual’ game just for ‘fun’ is what Grimsley offered to the naive champion who got played before the game even began. He probably should’ve said something, at least interfered, only giving silent pleas for Steven to  _ please Arceus do not take the bait.  _   
  
Well worth keeping his mouth shut to see Grimsley win all the champion’s money only for it to be sent right back to him.   
  
“I didn’t know Hoenn’s champion was dating someone with a former hustler status,” Grimsley says in exasperation, hands now falling on the table and gripping it as if his life depended on it.  _ Not done with his hissy fit yet it seems.  _ “I can’t believe you’d offer to take him out to lunch! He even had the nerve to yank me down by the scarf just so I’d play with him.”   
  
“I thought you loved being yanked around,” Nanu points out, eyebrow raised and arms folded. He’s surprised Grimsley would complain about it despite his expression changing from shocked to curious. Like a Purrloin putting up an act for his own benefit, unfortunately for him failing at his trick in an attempt to gain more money. “Or has your palate changed?”   
  
“Tsk, of course not,” Grimsley says as if he’s offended, not even managing to muster up his usual smirk and remains to pout. With a defeated sigh he slumps, eyes flickering to Nanu’s own amused ones with a slight frown.  _ Least he’s trying.  _ “I only enjoy it when  _ you’re  _ the one doing it.”    
  
Slowly but steadily he was starting to get that bothersome personality back. A lot of youthful energy going to waste on a bunch of card games, but who was he to judge? He was just a wretch anyways.   
  
Maybe not so much anymore with Grimsley always hanging around him like one of the many stray Meowth’s he took in. On the bright side he always managed to keep things lively that’s for sure. Guess he wasn’t  _ too  _ much of a hassle.   
  
“Don’t see why you’re moping around when you broke even, didn’t you?” Nanu stretches his stiff limbs, reluctantly hoisting himself up from his seat and grabs Grimsley’s overly long scarf, giving it a gentle tug as he walks around him.  _ Maybe this’ll get his attention.  _ “How about I treat you to a Dugtrio sandwich trio? Or that gratin thing you like so much?”    
  
_ “Gratin a la Pumpkaboo,”  _ Grimsley corrects him receiving an eyeroll from Nanu, letting his scarf drop when Grimsley finally decides to stop wallowing in his self pity. He still looks pathetic as ever, but now Nanu’s highly aware it’s merely an act, knowing the promise of well,  _ anything  _ free would always perk him up. “Since you’re offering who am I to refuse?”    
  
This wasn’t anything new or surprising, yet what did manage to throw Nanu off guard was the sudden weight on his side, Grimsley deciding to latch onto him like an Aipom and having a matching grin to boot. Nanu doesn’t have the strength to shrug him off, wanting to use as little effort as he possibly could. His arm hooks around Grimsley’s waist and despite himself he brings him in closer, not really minding the close contact as much as he complains about it.    
  
They may be a pathetic lot, a couple of losers just stumbling through life without a care in the world, but he couldn’t imagine them being any other way.   



End file.
